May 17: Today in Christian History

 

May 17, 1527

Roman Catholics in Rottenburg, Germany, try the Sattlers, an Anabaptist couple. Michael Sattler will be burned at the stake on the 20th of the month.

May 17, 1575

Death of Archbishop Matthew Parker at Lambeth, London. He had been largely responsible for the religious “settlement” that made the Church of England distinct from Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, and non-Lutheran forms of Protestantism.

May 17, 1834

Execution of Chinese Christian Peter Liu Wenyuan who had spent over thirty years in exile as a slave for his faith.

May 17, 1972

The Hutu Father Michael Kayoya of Berundi, a small nation in eastern Africa, is executed. He is one of thousands executed in genoicidal murder. About one half of all Catholic catechists in Berundi will be killed.

May 17, 1992

Pope John Paul II beatifies Josephine Margaret Fortunata (ca. 1869–1947), who as a Sudanese slave had been nicknamed Bakhita, “the lucky one.” Sold again and again, she had experienced great cruelty until an Italian consul ransomed her. In Italy she had converted to Christianity and had joined the Canossian Sisters with whom she remained the rest of her life, gaining renown for her humility and holiness.

May 17, 2007

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) signs an Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate but retains its independent hierarchy, the only change being that when it elects a new First Hierarch, his election must be confirmed by the Patriarch of Moscow. In turn, ROCOR agrees to recognize the Patriarch of Moscow as the head of the entire Russian Orthodox Church.